The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-10-01
THE MAINE STATE PRESS.
ONE OF THE CLIPPERS.
Old and Under a Foreign Flag but
Swift as when American.
[st. John SUM-

A grand old vessel is the Norwegian ship
Friedrich" which east anchor in the harbor
on Saturday afternoon last, after tempetu-
GUS passage of twentv-seven days from Liver
pool, during ten Of which one Of her masts
was completely disabled. Thirty-two years
ago this stately craft was launched forth
upon the world Of waters from the yard of
the celebrated builder. Donald Mckay, East
Boston, yard which has turned out some of
the fleetest sailing vessels the civilized world
has ever known. The "Ocean Express was
the ships maiden name, and the annals of
marine commerce tell us that no swifter yes
sci ever weathered gale or wrestled with
wave or whirlwind than She For over a
quarter of century she was engaged in the
deep water trade, bringing the wealth Of the
Indies and of the Pacific to the people on the
Atlantic shores, and returning with equally
valuable cargoes. She has weathered ATTAIN
tic hurricanes, battled successfully with ty-
phoons and cyclones, with wind and wave In
all parts of the world, and she still survives,
noble monument Of mans ingenuity and
skill. True, much of her glory has vanished
but her beautiful, shapely mould still re-
mains. almost as staunch as when first she
started out on her career. The long, clear
cut bow, as sharp as an arrow, the shapey
bilge, and the beautifully rounded stern are
Just the same-save that they are not so clean
lOoking-as when the vessel left the builders
hands. Her oaken frame, the present Off
GERS tell us, Is as strong as when new, and
scarcely drop of water ever finds its way
through her well planked sides. The golden
eagle with which her PROV was ornamented
when first she leaped into the embrace of
mother ocean, is still to be seen, with out
stretched wings as if defying the tempest
and beckoning the good ship on to greater
dap1G AZ IN nnft n -
golden chariot still rides on DER golden
breakers, Just as be did thirty-two years ago.
So far as speed Is concerned there are few
sailing ships which can pass her even though
vessels existence. The first officer of
the ship stated yesterday that he had been
in her over year and in that time he had
never seen vessel 60 by her, but ON the
contrary she had been able to show a clean
pair of heels to everything she met. Only
last season she made the run from Liverpool
to the mouth of the st. Lawrence in eleven
days, and had it not been that the further
passage was blocked by ice sne would have
been mo0red in Quebec on the twelfth day.
She made an equally fast run in returning to
Glasgow from Quebec, covering the distance
in twelve days. Fourteen knots an hour is
no uncommon thing for her to make. In her
youthful days she made the fastest passages
which were made to the East Indies, and we
doubt very much If her record has ever been
beaten.
Her cabins still retain resemblance of
| their old-t time magnifcence. The captains
| cabin is richly finished in mahogany, the car
| wings and tracery on which is remarkably
beautiful. The forward cabin, which was
at one time grand and luxurious saloon,
has been greatly altered. All the partitions
and staterooms have been removed and the
| space Is now utilized to stow cargo in, very
small portion being reserved as the officers
mess. The forward house. containing large
| brick-hoored galley commodious carpen-
| far'S ChOn and SailrQnnl and tha coilorcs TO
castle, still remains about the same as of yore,
| save that things are not quite so tidy nor the
paint so fresh, as when the Friedrich was
| the clipper East Indiaman.
Although spreading an enormous cloud Of
| canvas the ship is at present worked by a
| crew OF twenty men, and we are informed
| that on some passages as few as fifteen men
have worked her across. But this is since
she has fallen into foreign hands. While she
| was the Ocean Express" she never went TO
sea without having at least thirty men ON
board. 1t was not all sailors duty that these
men were expected to perform. A sterner
duty was sometimes required of them. Until
| recent years the waters of the China Sea and
of the Indian Ocean were infested by hordes
OF Dlood-thlrsty pirates, who were constantly
| prowllng around like greedy yultures in
search OF prey. To them an East Indiaman
| was prize worth shedding blood for, and
| they were prepared to run any risk in order
TO effect her capture; so that every merchant
| snip had to go thoroughly armed, and the
crew were expected to be as able to handle a
musket or sword as they we're to box the
| compass or splice the main-brace. Some of
the brass cannon with which the Ocean Ex-
press was fitted out in her youthful days are
| sui TO be seen on the main deck, but the ne
cessity for them has happily long since de-
i parted
The Friedrich is a German name, the ship
having adopted the German flag between six
| ana seven years ago. For year past she
has been owned by Norwegians, and she now
halls from Porsgund, little town not far
| from Christiania